Deliberative Processes in Parliament c. 1567–1639: Multicameralism and the Lords of the Articles

Parliaments, Princes, and Presses: Voices of Tradition and Protest in Early Modern Scotland

“…The Scottish Parliament consisted of three or four estates: clerics appointed by the Crown (absent from 1638 to 1660 and after 1689); nobles who attended by right; representatives of royal burghs, elected by their respective town councils, and representatives of the shires elected from the barons or lesser landowners. In addition, a management committee, the Lords of the Articles, was chosen to draft business before voting by the whole house, a committee whose power has been the subject of much historiographical revision in recent years (Tanner 2000 andMacDonald 2002). Also, the Scottish Privy Council, usually including clergy, governed between parliaments, a 'cabinet' passing acts on day to day matters.…”

“…Burgh members in particular were expected to represent the interests of their specific towns as well as the trade of the nation. Many reported back to their burghs before votes were taken, or gathered within their estate to debate specific measures before voting with the whole house (MacDonald 2002). In fact from the 1580s the numbers of elected members and size of the entire Parliamentary increased, rising from under 100 to over 200 members.…”